I open the box and start reading the Bullet mold instructions. It says:

"lubricate your mold. Very Lightly touch bullet lubricant to the spruce busing "V" ribs and locating cross pins. Use Lee Lube #90007. Do not use liquid Alox as it will bake onto the surface preventing proper closure."

Ok I am dead in the water... I only have Liquid Alox.

My question Is: Is there a substitute compound I can use to lube the mold.

Yup! Any high temp grease or oil will do. If you have some anti seize that'll work, if it doesn't have those chunks of metal in it. Otherwise, very carefully melt some candle wax onto the locator pins and pivots. Take care to NOT let it get into the mold cavity, it will mess up your bullets until you get it out of there.

Best lube made for the locator pins and pivots on bullet molds is from the bull shop up in Alaska, it's called bull plate lube. It's a light blue oil that simply will not burn at casting temps. Here's the url for bull shop;

Bull plate is great stuff. FOLLOW the directions that come with it and you will never cast without it. Candle wax works too it you are in a pinch. But first be sure to get the mold hot, and try not to get the wax in the cavity...it is a pain in the @**. A little bit goes a long way. Good luck!

When I got my new mold from Lee, all I did to it was boil it in sopay water, then boil it in clean water, rinse it well and start casting with it. I got it hot, melted some candle wax on it, ( I got a bunch inside the cavity too) and burned that out in the first pour or two. I've never done anything to the mold since. I leave the last pour in it to cool and next time around, I just get it hot again and start pouring. Never had any trouble with the mold closing or anything. What is the lube supposed to do? I'm getting great looking bullets, they are all dropping at .359 or .360 (this from the Lee 90321 TL358-158-SWC)

500 and it is worn....that is not right. I have got thousands of bullets out of my Lee 6 cavs. Order ya some Bull Plate lube. It DEFINATELY extends the life of molds...NO DOUBT! Are you sure you didn't use a lapping compound?

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